Manufacturing of fertilizer.



0. F. PENNEWELL.

MANUFACTURE OF FERTILIZER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.I8.'I9I4.

Patented Dec. 12, 1916.

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CHARLES F. PENNEWELL, 0F SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA.

MANUFACTURE OF FERTILIZER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 1L2, 191th.

Application filed August 18, 1914.. Serial No. 857,312.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. PENNE- wnLL, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Sacramento, in the county of Sacramento and State ofCalifornia, have invented new and useful .Improvements in theManufacture of Fertilizer, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a method of manufacture of a fertilizer or topsoil dressing and pertains especially to the stimulation of bacterialgrowth in and throughout such dressing.

The object in short is to stimulate the growth of soil bacteria and tomake it commercially practicable to prepare and put upon the market aninexpensive dressing rich in fertilizing values.

The im'ention comprehends generally the production of the stimulated Ibacterial growth in a body of bacteria-laden soil by means of acarbohydrate or other known bacterial stimulant under appropriateconditions such that the stimulation may proceed rapidly, continuouslyand economically; usually the-bacterial stimulant being mixed withstable manure and the mixture laid as a removable and renewable blanketover the bacteria-laden soil and liquid is allowed to percolate atintervals therethrough. When the soil forming the receiving medium ofthe bacterial growth has become suitably enriched, it is then withdrawnfrom the apparatus and a fresh charge of soil is placed therein.together with a fresh charge of bacterial stimulant.

One particular method of practising my invention is exemplified in thefollowing description and illustrated in Figure 1, which is aperspective of an apparatus suitable for carrying out the invention.Fig. 2 isa plan view of the bottom screen of the top box.

This device is known as a fertilizing unit, and consists of an upper'box2 and a lower drawer 3 both contained within a suitable three-sidedinclosure" or framed; the

upper box Qbeing movable vertically toward and from the drawer 3 bysuitable means, as the block and tackle 5, and the drawer 3 beingmovable horizontally on suitable tracks 6. The box 2 has a foraminousbottom, preferably made up of strong rods 7 extending crosswise, asshown in Fig. 2, with a suitable heavy wire screen 8 supported upon therods 7 Ordinarily, in practice, the box 2 rests upon the drawer 3 sothat the contents of the two are in close union through the screenedbottom 8.

In .practice, the bottom container or drawer 3 is filled witlipreparedsoil; this prepared soil being impregnated or charged with the necessarynitrogen-producing bacteria. The upper container orbox 2 is filled withstable manure, or other suitable vehicle, capable of generating thenecessary heat; this manure having been impregnated with a carbohydrate,such as sugar or other saccharine material, or other soil bacteriastimulant. The box 2 is then lowered until it rests on the drawer 3 sothat the only communication with the contents of the drawer 3 is throughthe manure blanket and its contained bacterial stimulant.

About every third day the upper box is lifted from the lower drawer,allowing the soil contents in the lower box to be stirred and aerated,after which the upper box is again dropped onto the lower box. Eachthird day the upper box is moistened with water; it being customary touse about two gallons of water to aton of manure and a ton of preparedearth. The moisture filtering through the preparation carries a certainamount of the bacterial product into the lower container where itbecomes fixed or available nitrogen. The steps are repeated at three dayintervals for about ninety days, whereupon the apparatus may be emptiedand a fresh charge inserted; the removed soil contents of the drawer 3being then ready for use as a top dressing.

The practical value of this process has been amply demonstrated byexperience. One of its chief advantages, aside from its value as afertilizer, is its economical production in commercial quantities.

.Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is- 1. A method of stimulating bacterial growth whichconsists in superimposing upon a container charged with bacterial growthanother container containing a suitable bacterial stimulant, bringingthe contents of the two containers into close union to permit filtrationfrom the bacterial stimulant t0 the bacteria container, occasionallymoistening the stimulating contents and allowing the moisture to filterthrough to the bacterial contents, and occasionally stirring the latter.

2. A method of stimulating bacterial growth which consists insuperimposing upon a container charged with bacterial growth anothercontainer containing a suitable bacterial stimulant, bringing thecontents of the two containers into close union to permit filtrationfrom the bacterial stimulant to the bacteria container, occasionallymoisture to filter through from one to the other.

' 4:. A method of stimulating bacterial growth which comprehendssuperimposing a container having a foraminousbottom charged with stablemanure and a corbohydrate, upon a soil container charged with nitrogenproducing bacteria, and allowing moisture to filter through from one tothe other, there being approximately two gallons of moisture producingliquid to a ton of the manure compound and a ton of the bacterialpreparation.

5. A method of stimulating bacterial growth which comprehendssuperimposing a container having a foraminous bottom charged with stablemanure and a carbohydrate, upon a soil container charged with nitrogenproducing bacteria, and allowing moisture to filter thro-ugh from one tothe other, there being approximately two gallons of moisture producingliquid to a ton of the manure compound and a ton of the bacterialpreparation, the liquid being added approximately every third day to thecontents of the bacterial stimulant, the preparation in the lowercontainer being stirred and aerated about every three days, theoperation of moistening and stirring continuing approximately for ninetydays.

6. The method of stimulating bacterial growth, which consists intreating soil, containing nitrogen producing bacteria, to the seepageof'a manure, containing carbohydrate.

7.'The method of manufacturing a fertilizer, which consists in treatingsoil, laden with bacteria, to the seepage of a bacterial stimulant.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto seta my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses,

CHARLES F. PENNEVVELL. Witnesses:

JOHN H. HERRING, W. W. HEALEY.

